"Teach Children To Respect Women": Smriti Irani On Curbing Rape

Union minister Smriti Irani today said no punishment can be stricter than death penalty for rapists as she appealed to parents to teach their children to respect women.

"There are talks for a enacting a provision of stricter punishment for rapists. The government has already come out with the provision of death penalty. Nothing can be more severe than handing capital punishment (for rapists)," she said.

Smriti Irani's comments came against the backdrop of the Telangana and Unnao cases that have  shocked the entire nation.

"We, as citizens, look up to establishments for justice. Such establishments, media, film and literature are held responsible for rape cases. As parents, we should keep in mind how we are portraying women before our children," she said.

Smriti Irani said funds are being utilised for setting up more than 1,000 fast track courts in the country for speedy disposal of rape cases. She said a national database of more than seven lakh offenders will be prepared.

The Union Minister also referred to the "threatening behaviour" of two

MPs of Congress in the Lok Sabha on Friday when she was speaking on recent incidents of rape in the country.

"When I was speaking in Parliament on harassment of women, two male MPs surged ahead to beat me. The sole reason (for provocation) was that I was speaking in the House. Is it amount to harassment of women if a woman speaks or writes on their exploitation?" she said.

Smriti Irani said respect for women should begin from families as they are the centres for "nurturing moral values".